Squatters

naz101

ok, so I watched a programme on tv the other day about this and I am really confused as to what is right.

According to the programme, if your house is empty at all, like for example going to work during the day and someone gets into it byy any means possible and states it is their house, are you seriously not allowed to kick them out instantly? you have to prove the house is yours and until some law person agrees it is legally yours the squatters can stay there?

the programme showed an older man who ended up with squatters in his house and by the time he managed to get it sorted, the squatters moved out and took everything!

So if this is true..why bother buying a house. just move into someone elses, claim its yours and get a free stay!

Now I am really hoping someone says I am completely wrong as this has really upset me....is the law of this land so screwed up that this can happen???:(

WhiteHorse

It's not quite like that, but yes, the law of the land is screwed up.

Browntoa

yep, its up to you to prove they broke in , they will claim that the window or door was broken when they arrived

skiddlydiddly

And I'd claim that my foot was embedded up their !!!!! when they landed on the other side of the broken window.

Browntoa

central London they have it off to a fine art , the one who "accidently" breaks the window is not involved with the squat at that address

geordieracer

Was this the one on Fake Britain this morning? That was to do with dodgy landlords doing just this but setting up tenants instead of claiming they were squatting. Scumbags doing that to an old man.

dreavi

This happened to me at an old place I used to rent in my student days. We came back after a day at University and some reprobates had moved in and changed the locks saying they were going to call the police if we tried to enter.

After a quick discussion we kicked the door in, by the time the police arrived called by pretty much everyone we were all back in our house in our own rooms and they were on our lawn protesting that we were in their house. However all our furniture and pictures were up and we had a lease so the cops told them to sling their hook.

Our house, our door we figured

naz101

god I was really hoping someone was going to tell me I was wrong!

How do you protect yourself against this?? or is there nothing you can do?

Just such a horrible thought!

spike7451

A chap I know came home of op's to find squatting scum in his house..a 'peaceful' visit from a few colleagues soon convinced them to leave..

naz101

spike7451 wrote: »

A chap I know came home of op's to find squatting scum in his house..a 'peaceful' visit from a few colleagues soon convinced them to leave..

i like the thought of a "peaceful visit". but wont you get done if you lay a finger on them as the police will do you for assault?

scottishblondie

naz101 wrote: »

god I was really hoping someone was going to tell me I was wrong!

How do you protect yourself against this?? or is there nothing you can do?

Just such a horrible thought!

Move to Scotland. No squatters rights up here!